Toro Rosso, now working with Honda after the Japanese manufacturer's parting from McLaren, were fifth on the timesheets while Vandoorne was 12th.

"Today wasn't the day we had hoped for on track, but, despite this, we aren't overly concerned about the issues that we've faced today," said McLaren's racing director Eric Boullier.

"It's obviously not the productive day we had planned, but the problems... are the types of niggles that we almost hope and expect to face during testing, in order to prepare us properly for the season ahead."